Carrol, it is really a really terrific example of the delusion that there is a left that can actually negotiate with, say, the folks at OWS - much like they mistakenly think they can negotiate with the democratic party or some crap. @@
> Jodi Dean's latest inspired much laughter. In fact, by the end of
> this rant, all i could imagine was a play on Howard Zinn's book title:
>
> while maybe you can't stay neutral on a moving train, you can hang on
> to the top of it, while it speeds underneath you at 100 mph hour,
> holding on for dear life as your hair blows into one gigantic fright
> wig formation.
>
> Dean, in her article, wants to tell us about three problems that OWS
> might present.
>
> 1. The existence of Ron Paulites. She rightly does not leap to the
> conclusion that the mere existence of RP leafletters means any more
> than that Ron Paulites have young people on the ground who know they
> need to show up at places like this to get recruits. Why they
> assumption that they aren't just RP wingnuts who show up to all these
> things, just as our own lefty wingnuts show up to all these things?
>
> But even if it suggests more organization on the RP fanbuoyz part,
> Dean, and people at LBO, don't see this as a challenge, however.
>
> IOW, instead of realizing that the Ron Paul vultures are there and
> they need to be counterposed, that their existence is a challenge for
> lefties who care to get boots on the ground and hand out leaflets.
>
> oh. wait......
>
> we mean, then, that the real problem is the total LACK of organization
> among US, the critical left. the problem isn't with this political
> formation, the problem is with the lack of organization on the left.
>
> okeydokey
>
> glad we cleared that up.
>
> 2. the emphasis on process. If the end goal is to keep on protesting,
> to keep focusing on process and to create the change they want to live
> in, to warp a phrase - in other words, if what theyend up doing is
> focusing on byuilding alternative organizations and institutions, then
> Dean thinks this is a problem. She concludes that it isn't her
> revolution.
>
> oh my god. I laughed so hard my right tit fell off! just a sec. I have
> to run and go get it.
>
> Funnee! Not your father's Lincoln! Funnee how that expression evoked
> that commercial: THIS, yuppie kids, is not your father's Lincoln. Hey,
> THIS OWSkidz, is not your mother's revolution!
>
> Because revolutions are commodities - objectified, reified things --
> that people argue over possession of! Instead of being things in which
> they are caught up, part of -- can't stay fucking neutral on a moving
> train, but you can, apparently, grab on to a rail and hold on for deal
> life, fright wing a flyin' in the 100 mph wind!
>
> Third, says Dean, 1 and 2 aren't given. Oh. Thank sweet baybay jaysuz
> for that! Lefties can intervene and, this is rich!, just say "No to
> Ron Paul!", "No to the Democratic Party", "No to reducing this to
> narrowing of focus to issues of corporate personhood."
>
> Not. My. Revolution.
>
> This is so fucking conceited. sitting around in upstate NY or
> downstate Georgia or West Texas, someone decides that she can say to
> OWS folks, "Nyeh. Nyeh. We're not going to support you if you don't do
> things OUR way."
>
> I mean, you can see why I laughed so hard my tit fell off.
>
> For one thing, no one making those demands is likely a member of an
> organization with enough influence in that organization to make this
> happen - start negotiating a deal with folks at OWS. Second, even if
> you were, is it really important enough to warrant such posturing? I
> mean, honestly, will a single soul at OWS, like, miss y'all if you
> don't show up at THEIR revolution?
>
> but let me get back to number 2. This one... lookee here now. What if
> this does turn out to be the whole point: a bunch of people are
> getting together and kind of seceding, building a whole new society in
> political and civil society in miniature. What if the goal IS to build
> an organization? What if the goal isn't to have a revolution at all,
> nyeh nyeh, but to build some sort of, as Harry Boyte calls, it Free
> Spaces.
>
> Apparently, lefties are going to take their marbles and go home,
> pouting.
>
> What is truly interesting about this is, if you look more carefully
> what you see going on here the pretnse that's it's the left that has
> power, that is in the position to make demands, that is in a position
> to take their marbles and go home because OWS might not do what they
> want.
>
> I can't remember how I put it in the SAQ article, but boy: nice
> subject of history problem youse all got goin' there!
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> http://cleandraws.com
> Wear Clean Draws
> ('coz there's 5 million ways to kill a CEO)
>
-- http://cleandraws.com Wear Clean Draws ('coz there's 5 million ways to kill a CEO)